THE CHURCH IN THE TURKISH EMPIRE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume I, Issue 2, 10 May 1873, Page 11

THE CHURCH IN THE TURKISH EMPIRE.

(London Tablet) The Turkish Government maintains and accentuates its resolution of assuming a virtual ecclesiastical jurisdiction over the Catholic communities in the Empire. It distinctly regards its deposition of the Armenian prelates and its recognition of the intruders as a transfer of spiritual, not only civil power, and Mahomet Ruschdi Pasha, the ne'vr Grand Vizier, who was the fii-3t tT discover that the Ball Reoersuritt was an encroachment on the Sultan's rights, has now advised hismaster to take a step of more open hostility to the Holy See than thePorte has yet ventured on. About two months aj;o the Holy Father deigned to write to the Sultan himself, dem mstratiug that the Bull ir» question couid not possibly contain anything derogatory to his sovereign rights, as it concerned the internal organization of the Christian Church, and dein.tnJiug as an act of simple jast ice permission for Mgr. llawoun to return to his Sob. The answer of the Sultan is in effect a direct refusal to accept the Bull — which, by the way, he had already accepted and soleirnly ratified by his recognition of Mgr. ilasdoun's election —and also to consent to the reinstatement of the* Patriarch. It would appear to bo the se. tied determi'iatiou of the Porte entirely to seporate the Catholic communities from all dependence on the Holy tieo, by putting an end, so far as it can, to the confirmation of episcopal elections, for it m lintahn that these elecbion3 concern no one but the people and the Government, in the case of Catholic as well as in that of schismatical camuiuniries. The G-ernua and othtjr Liberalistic Catholics who at the time of the Council started the opposition which haj end^d in the present schisms, may now take full credit for their work, for the Grand Vizier is alleged to quote them as an authoiity, arguing that the Pope's claims to jnriadiclion are disallowed even in Catholic countries. In order to be consistent, theTurkish Government i 3 obliged to give a similar support to the disaffected among the schismatic communities, and when the " orthodox" Greek Patriarch of Jerusalem rolusod the other da} to sign the Constautinopolitan excommunication of the Bulgarians, and was deposed by some of his people, the Porto showed an evident disposition to take the part of the lattor and to withdraw its recognition from the Patriarch. If this policy is persevered in, there seonu to be ro» particular reason why any of the Catholics- rites in* the Ottoman Empire should escape the persecution.